In our last League of Wales Cup match, the replay against Caersws in the first round, we took a look at how Barry won the trophy which they defended last season. Tonight, we take a look at how Barry originally won the trophy in May 1997, and got over the disappointment of losing on the away goals rule in the semi-final the year before.
Ironically, it was the same opponents, Ebbw Vale, who were to play Barry in the Second Round of the 1996-97 competition. Barry were anxious to gain revenge over the Gwent side, especially following a hard fought draw a few weeks earlier against the Steelmen.
The home leg at Jenner Park was an announcment that Winter had arrived, and a crowd of just over 300 saw the two sides neutralise each other at Jenner Park. Barry had played twice a week since the beginning of the season, and the strain was beginning to show, as they were unable to unravel the strong Ebbw Vale defence. The match was a stalemate, ending in a 0-0 draw with neither side looking as if they would be able to break the deadlock.
There were even problems on the day of the rescheduled match, as the game kicked off half-an-hour early, meaning that many Barry fans missed a third of the game. However, unless they were any later, they'll have seen Tony Bird scoring the first goal of the tie, after 40 minutes. With their noses in front and with an away goal, Barry's confidence surged, and Gareth Knott burst through the Vale defence to score just before half-time. Another Welsh u-21 international, it was Knott's first goal for the club.
Barry's form continued in the second half, Chris Pike scoring soon after the break, and Bird adding a fourth. Vale were awarded a 69th minute penalty, which Paul Giles converted, but, by then it was too late for the Steelmen to pull back, and Chris Pike's second goal sealed the fate of the Gwent side, as Barry recorded a 5-1 aggregate victory over them.
With those late goals, the match at the Cardiff Athletic Stadium felt like something of an anti-climax. Barry scored first, Terry Evans's goal effectively killing the tie, by giving Barry an away goal. Inter did return fire, but when Cohen Griffith scored to make it 2-1 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate, there was little chance that Inter would pull level with the Dragons.
However, if the quarter-final had ultimately become an easy tie for Barry, there was no way in which the semi-final would follow suit. Having gone to Newtown, beaten them 3-0 and then subsequently resigned from the League of Wales, Ton Pentre saw the Gilbert Cup as their last opportunity to win a national Welsh trophy. There was certainly no better time for them to do so, as Barry reeled from the shock of a 5th minute injury time goal, and defeat at Llansantffraid the previous midweek.
Despite the shock of Ton Pentre's equaliser, Barry had the opportunity to go back into the lead, when the Dragons were awarded a second penalty, this time for a foul on Darren Ryan. This time, though, Bird hit a poor penalty, with the home keeper easily saving.
Comforted by their away goal, Barry relaxed their grip further, and were hit by a double whammy. The Ton Pentre wingers began to find gaps in the Barry flanks, and were able to find the net to give them a lead. Now 2-1 ahead, they continued to pressurise Barry, and it wasn't a surprise when Davey found his way behind the Barry defence and slotted the ball into the Barry goal, giving the Valleys side a 3-1 victory on the night, and, they believed, enough for them to win the tie on aggregate and give them the chance to leave the League of Wales on a high note.
Back at Jenner Park a fortnight later, it seemed as if their dreams might come true. Barry were unable to find any rhythm against the Valleys side, who refused to allow players time on the ball or to shoot from inside the box. Ultimately, it was only an inspired substitution which saw Barry through to the final.
That substitution was the introduction of the pace of David O'Gorman down the right flank, a move which paid dividends in the 60th minute. O'Gorman, breaking sharply from defence, saw the visitors keeper on the edge of his box, and shot, only five yards over the half-way line. The ball sailed high over Ton keeper, Neil Roberts, bounced against the far post and trickled into the net. At 3-2 down, and with an away goal, Barry need only score one more goal to qualify, something which the support and players knew. The Valleys side were demoralised as wave upon wave of Barry attacks began. The inevitable happened minutes later, O'Gorman again latching onto the ball and directing it home past Roberts. The only negative aspect of the victory was the 88th minute sending off of both Darren Ryan and Ton Pentre 'keeper, Neil Roberts, who became involved in a scuffle, as nerves became more fraught, and bith sides looked for a clinching goal.
Although level on aggregate at 3-3, Barry went through to the League Cup final on the away goals rule, the same rule which had denied them progress the previous season.
Although both sides went close in the first half, there was no score until the 54th minute, when Darren Ryan bent his free-kick around the Bangor wall, and fired the Dragons into the lead. Barry were celebrating victory in the match until only eight minutes from the end, when Marc Lloyd-Williams forced the ball past Barry keeper, Ovendale, from close range.
The match went into extra-time, with neither side scoring in the first half of extra time. Only minutes after the restart, Lee Clowes put Bangor in the lead for the first time in the game. It looked as if it was all over for Barry, but, as in the match against Ton Pentre, the players pulled on super-human effort to drag themselves back into the game. The result was an 117th minute goal for Barry, to level the game and take the competition to penalties.
A Bangor attack had broken down, and Mark Ovendale used the ball wisely, throwing to a nearby defender. Barry broke quickly, and after two passes, Darren Ryan found himself at the edge of the Bangor City box, and let fly with a shot which went between two defenders and just inside the post.
Even then, Bangor did have a chance to win the game, but Lloyd-Williams fired wide when in a one-on-one chance with Ovendale.
Remembering the penalties defeat to Llansantffraid a year earlier, many Barry fans were anxious, but it was a repeat of the more successful BVSC penalty shoot-out that took place at Park Avenue. As Barry players took successful spot-kicks, one Bangor player missed the target, while Ovendale saved another. By the time of Craig Evans penalty, the fourth, Barry needed only to convert to win the Gilbert League Cup. Evans, the hero against BVSC, again found the back of the net, earning Barry their first League Cup win.
Round 2. Barry Town 0 Ebbw Vale 0
Ebbw Vale 1 Barry Town 5 (Agg:1-5)
A.Bird 2, C.Pike 2, G.Knott
Round 3. Barry Town 3 Inter Cabletel 1
D.Ryan 2, D.O'Gorman
Inter Cabletel 1 Barry Town 2 (Agg:2-5)
T.Evans, C.Griffith
Semi-Finals. Ton Pentre 3 Barry Town 1
A.Bird
Barry Town 2 Ton Pentre 0 (Agg:3-3)
D.O'Gorman 2
Final. Bangor City 2 Barry Town 2
D.Ryan 2
Barry won 4-2 after extra time and penalties
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This page edited by the Yellow Dragon, 1999.
This article first published in the Barry Town matchday magazine, v Haverfordwest County, 10.11.98, Gilbert LoW Cup Rd.2
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